The Guardian again: Gaby Hinsliff misses the point

[hackmum]

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/feb/09/transgender-women-labour-shortlists-gender-discrimination

She hasn't understood the point about self-identification - that under the Labour interpretation of the rules, any man will be able to stand on an AWS by virtue of saying "I'm a woman". I'd love to ask Gaby if she thinks Eddie Izzard - who has said he wants to stand on an All Women Shortlist - is a woman. It's not open for comments, unfortunately.

I am kind of gutted that Margaret Atwood has shared this article

I am devastated. This has made me weep. What a let down.

If the only people banned from shortlists are men, then banning trans candidates looks horribly like suggesting they remain more male than female

Umm...

And the biological experience of womanhood, from first period to menopausal hot flush, still matters intensely to feminists because for so long it was the instrument of their oppression.

Correct me if I’ve misunderstood, but is one not a woman until one ceases to be, or is there some sort of post-menopause man-phase that I was unaware of? Or are we, at that point, freed from oppression? [hopeful face]

Change your body, and the focus switches to socialisation, with dark mutterings about why a minority of trans activists adopt such aggressive, bullying tactics on social media. The unspoken, inflammatory inference is: huh, just like a man.

Nope, not unspoken, I’ve seen and heard that stated explicitly. And it is, of course, true.

Very poor article, Gaby.

Its not just this. Last April the Guardian started to do expose^s on some of the housing associations. Then when the election was called............radio silence. I know they have had thousands of submissions from tenants. Tenants have asked whats going on since and cant get an answer.

If some minorities e.g.BAME people, trans identifying people are not currently represented there should be other mechanisms.

Well, quite. I mean, I am not sure but it seems black people are underrepresented in parliament. So, should black men be able to go on AWS? Despite not being women, but being part of a minority? Of course not. Its a little silly.

The journalist is out of her depth with Dirum and Turner mind. A hell of a lot of 'case by case' and 'I don't know'. Except, law and blanket policies do not allow for case by case basis.

Margaret Atwood is a great writer, but is sceptical of feminism - and has a pretty ropey understanding of it - see this link, amongst others.

She's a novelist, I don't think we should look to her for deep thought on gender criticism.

I’ve been hoping that in the new series of THT, Atwood will have done away with women entirely so that Gilead is populated entirely by AGPs.

I found that article very confusing. I wasn't aware that Tracey Emin's bed-art was supposed to represent womanhood. I've just done a quick google and can't find anything that suggests that so I'm not sure of its relevance. It just means that no one piece of art can represent every single aspect of being a woman – black or white, rich or poor, young or old, born or made – and nor should it

It seems odd, too, to exclude a minority not currently represented in parliament from measures to make it more representative Surely if transpeople are underrepresented the answer isn't to let them join AWS. What about transmen? Surely transpeople aren't also deliberately excluded from parliament in the same way that women have been in the past which is why AWS exist. Shouldn't there be a way to enable more transpeople to stand for parliament?

Biology is still the hand reaching out of the grave, Biology is the thing that women have in common.

At some point, Hinsliff will starting spinning the myth that she wrote a balanced article and as a result came under sustained attack from bigots (ie people disagreeing with her in reasonable terms and pointing out the glaring omission from the article of self-ID).

Margaret fucking Atwood retweeted this article

I am now officially in the twilight zone

twitter.com/MargaretAtwood/status/961914541494870016

And Harriet Harman said she agreed with he sentiments
Ffs

She praises women in parliament for bringing up childcare, period poverty etc, but doesn't seem to notice that these are all things that are sex-linked!

Yes, Gaby tries the low-blow of accusing Janice of being patronising. She'll accuse her of hysteria next

Go Janice!

Wish I had the stomach for Twitter, but I don't

Not surprised to see this is Gaby Hinsliff not understanding the issues here.
The last time the Tories were trying to lower the abortion time limit in Parliament, Gaby Hinsliff used to write such crap articles I thought she must be anti-choice but just not declaring it.

Janice is a total hero